Condenser for steam clothespresses



July 28, 1936. A BALL l CONDENSER FOR STEAM CLOTHESPRESSES Filled May 27, 1935 Patented July 28, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT oFElcE4 2,048,669 I CONDENSER FOR STEAM CLOTHESPRESSES i Alphonse Ball, Sacramento, Calif.

Application May 27, 1935, Serial No. 235795 6 claims. (c1. 257-36) This invention relates generally to the garment pressing art, and is directed specifically and particularly to a condenser system forv a steam lgarment press.

In the operation of steam garment presses, a large amount of steam is exhausted from -the press. This steam must either be piped to an outlet exteriorly of the building or allowed to escape into the room causing dampness etc. In many cities, it is unlawful to allow the steam to escape into the building and it must be piped out in the manner hereinbefore stated. HOW- eVer in crowded business districts it is often impossible to nd such proper exterior outlet. Also this continuous escape of the steam is wasteful.

It is therefore my principal object to provide a steam condenser which is adapted to be connected to the steam outlet of the press and which prevents escape of the steam and condenses the same.

It is also my object lto provide a condenser which when in operation will materially increase the vacuum in the buckrof the press when the steam pressure from the boiler is being bypassed to create such vacuum. Y

As a further object, it is my purpose to provide suitable means whereby the water derived from the steam may, while still hot, be pumped back into the boiler.

` l Afurther object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for vthe purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such specication and claims. h

In the drawing similar characters of referen'ce.v indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating my condenser as connected in combination with a steam garment press and steam boiler.

Figure 2 is a plan view of one of the condenser plates employed in the condenser.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawing, the steam for the press is produced in the usual boiler I having an injection pump 2 connected to the water inlet pipe 3 leading to the lower end of the boiler. Mounted adjacent this pump 2 is the water supply bucket 4 which is connected to the pump by a water supply pipe 5. Interposed in this pipe 5 are two selectively operable valves 8 in connection with said pipe.

vA steam supply pipe r9 leads from the boiler to the press. The boiler is also provided witha safety valve I0 and drain pipe II leading to the water supply bucket 4 from the safety valve.

The steam garment press comprises the ordinary buck I2 and presser head I3 hinged behind the buck as at I4. A suitable stand I5 supports the press above. the iloor in operative position.

The steam supply pipe 9 leads into the buck I2 and supplies steam thereto in the usual manner-a valve I6 in the pipe 9 regulating the flow 6 and 1 between which is mounted a water glass of steam into the buck. An exhaust pipe |115 leads from the buck and extends into the condenser as will be hereinafter seen. A branch pipe or by-pass pipe I8 with a control valve I9 therein leads from the supply pipe 9 on the boiler side of valveY I6 to a connection wthjthe pipe 20 Il at an acute angle therewith in the direction of ilow of the steam; Therefore, when the steam flows through the by-pass a vacuum will be cre- Vated inthe pipe Il aheadof the by-pass pipe.

The above-is also customary in steam presses.

The condenser comprises a closed cylindrical shell 20 supported in upstanding relation on a stand 2I. The exhaust pipe I1 enters the Ycondenser cylinder at 22 and dicharges downwardly beyond the center .of the cylinder as at 23.

Rigidly and horizontally mounted in the-condenser cylinder above the pipe I"| is a plurality of circular condenser plates 24' vertically spaced asrillustrated. Each of these condenser plates is inthe form of a circular grate asfillustrated in planin Figure 2, some of these plates having a central circular opening 25 while the plates mounted immediately above the pipe I1 are Vsolid inV this central portion'as'at 26. These plates are preferably` formeddof aluminum. although they may be'formed of anym'etal having high heat conductivity as one of its characteristics.

Extending through and depending from the upper end of the condenser shell is a vent pipe 21 which extends down only part way into the condenser to a termination in a funnel shaped hood 28 which is positioned adjacent but above the lowest condenser plate having a central opening 25 therein. This hood is provided with a screen 29 on the lower end thereof.

A water return line 30 extends from the lower portion of the condenser to a connection with the water supply pipe 5 at a point between the valve 'l and pump 2.

In actual practice, the condenser will be 1o- 55 V*i720V `into the condenser.

.Y maticallyrV in Figure 1.

This not only permits compactness of assembly `but also makes 'for ef- After the Vgarment is ciency of'operation as will hereinafter appear.Y

, Y Operation Y s *Y YIn operation the Steam generated in the boiler passes Vthrough the pipe 9 up to the valves I6 and i9' which, when the press is not beingroperated,

are closedf- Y. Y

. ',When a garmen All excess denser.Y t Y YY Y properly,steamed, the valve lljis closed and valve lIll'opened thereby allowing the steam to by-pass throughrplpe I8 The velocity of the steam Y Lpassing through this pipe Ycreates la vacuum in Y pipeV Il whichYresults in a vacuum inthe buck.

" Thel vacuumin the buck draws outside or cooly Y Yair through the garment drying the same.. n Y Y Thus, regardlessV Vof theV purposewhich the Vsteam is serving '(to; steam garments or `create vacuum) at anyv'particular time, the steam after Y beingY used is' exhausted intovthe condenser and creates a circulation of, steamrkinV said condenser. With the dischargefoutlet 23 off center, as shown,

the desired circulation `vWithin the condenser is assured.v Alsofdischarging thesteam downward ontorthe condensate vaids in condensation ofthe steam entering the condenser.

(The condenser plates'v being ofV ValuminumY-Vor other metal having highv heat conductivity char- 'acteristics, quickly' absorb the heat of the steam causing ,its'fcoridensation, the condensatie accu-V mulat'ing' at the bottomY of theV condenser. uncondensiblegas suchV as air with anyY remaining vaporrleaves the condenser `through the vent pipe 21. The -relativelysiine screen 29 in the hood 28YY prevents too rapid aV discharge of thejvapor.; The central solid portions 26 ofthe plates`24between the Ypipe I1 and hood `2Q pre-` 'vvent the steam` as it Yinitially' renters` the condenser Yfromat o'nce being carriediup andV out the .Y ventpip'e.` 'I'hese solid-portions force the steam 'Q9 to circu1ateand therefore condense as it passes through the grate-like condenser plates.Y Y

The'combination disclosed v`has, many advantages as heretofore suggested. Itrnot only pregvents` the undesirable escape of steambut also condenses theY same for' re-use wrhleostillrvv hot, thereby eliminatingl cooling of the boiler by the injection of cold Water. This saves a greaty deal Y vof time and materiallyreduces the Vfuel cost, and

as distilled waterisfoftenused in such boilers, Y

the Water may bevused'over and over insteadV of continually using a, fresh supply of water, n Y

is Vto be pressed,it is placedV Von the buck, the head closed and valve I6 openedV Vallowing steam to pass into the buck and permeate VVthrough the Ysame to thefgarment. Y

VYsteam passes out through VYpipe lfl Yinto the conu v While this specification sets forthrin detailthe The quantity of water in the Ycondenser, is recorded on the water glass 8 when valve 1 is open.

The pump 2'is used,'as is obvious; to inject either Y the hot'water condensed from the'steam carriedY back through pipe 30,' or fresh,Y cold water from bucket 4 into the boiler (bothvalves 6 and V1 be- Y ing opened in theV latter instance).

AV further advantage of, my combination is the factfthat the condenser, especially when located YY close to the press-preferably immediatelyrbehind the same-causes a material increase in the vacuum created inthe buck when thesteamV being vby-passed for thatpurpose. Y

From the foregoingdescription it will be read- Y ily seen that I Y'have produced such a device as substantially fullls the objects of the invention present andpreferred construction of the device,

Y still inl practice such deviations from such detail may be `resortedrto as dofnotYv form a departure from the spirit of the'invention, ascleinedY by..

` the 'appended yclaims-Yv LettersPatent is: Y

1 .,A steam condenser Yfor'a steamY garnicht pressV comprising'a closed vertical shellya steamV discharge pipe extending from the Ypress, into theV lower portion of the shelLa vent-pipe extending out of the shell lfrom'the upperV portion thereof,

andV avplurality of verticallyspaced grate-like condenser plates mounted inthe shell VaboveusaidV discharge pipe. YM Y, .Y Y,

2. A device as inV claim 1 in which the condenser plates are formed of aluminum; Y 3.3'A device as in' claimYYlin hi h the conf denser plates: are formed from a.Y metal charac` terizred by a Yhigh'heat conductivity.-

VYfl. A steam condenserV for` a steam lgarment Ypress comprising a closed vertical shell, a steam Y dischargepipe extending, *fromY the press intonthe pipe having Ya centralsolid portion, the remainder Y throughV thel central openingsY of afplurality Vof Ysaidlastnamed plates.VV Y Y ,Y Y Y. Y p 5. A device asin claim 4 in whichthe lower end Y of theY vent pipev is formed with aifunnel shaped hood and a screen over the mouth of, said hood.

i Q6. A device as inclaim 4-inrwhich the steam of theplates having a central opening thereinY and 1 a ventpipe extending centrally through the upper Vend of the shell and depending` into*Y the shell discharge pipe opens downwardly toward the bot- 'tom of the shell and is offset'from the center of said shell,

ALPHONSE BALL. 160 

